Side Story 1: Long Take : Part 18

As the shoot went on, more and more onlookers gathered.

There were so many that the Personal Security Team and Managers had to keep them under control.

“Are all those people your fans?”

A girl with long curly hair asked with a worried face, and Yoon Jooho stroked his chin as he answered.

“I think so.”

The ones crowding in, holding up neon sign apps or pickets with ‘Jooho!’ written on them, shouting his name, weren’t just random Korean tourists who’d stumbled upon the set.

After a quick discussion with the Personal Security Team, the Editor approached with a serious look and spoke quickly.

“Hyunsoo, Jooho, I think you should move to the car for now.”

Maybe they’d stayed too long in one place.

What had been a secret garden-like park was turning into complete chaos.

“Word’s spread among the local fans that Jooho’s filming here.”

The two of them hurriedly shook hands with the students.

With more and more people pouring into the park, there wasn’t even time for leisurely greetings.

The Bodyguards and Managers led the two of them away.

Screams, like the ones they’d heard at the airport, surrounded them.

Yoon Jooho, wearing sunglasses, put a firm arm around Song Hyunsoo’s shoulder.

Led by him, Hyunsoo moved his legs quickly, glancing back.

The students they’d filmed with were waving their arms in big motions from the top of the steps.

Hyunsoo grinned and waved back, raising his arm high.

Above their heads, the leaves of the linden trees shook in the autumn sky of Paris.

■

The whole filming team retreated to the 7th arrondissement Basecamp.

Though the studio wasn’t far from the park, just in case someone tried to follow them, they took the long way around the south side of Luxembourg Park.

“Oh, what a mess, seriously.”

Even the experienced Editor shook her head at the unexpected situation.

“Looks like Jooho’s gotten even more popular. Still, it’s never been this bad before, not enough to make filming so difficult.”

Assistants entered the studio, bringing water, coffee, and sweet snacks.

Yoon Jooho, who was sitting on the sofa, accepted the coffee handed to him by the Manager and asked the Editor,

“Can we keep filming?”

“We’ve already got a lot of cuts, so it’d be fine to wrap up here… But Chief Manager really wanted a sunset shot on the Alexander III Bridge. Judging by how things are, there’s no way we can shoot there now.”

She looked out the window and spoke in a regretful voice.

It was already getting close to sundown.

“For now, you two should just rest.”

For the meeting, the staff gathered around the large table inside the studio.

Yoon Jooho turned to look at Song Hyunsoo, sitting beside him.

It was his first time shooting a pictorial, and his first time filming overseas, so he looked nervous from the sudden situation.

Jooho massaged his neck.

“It’s okay. Even if we don’t shoot more, I think we’ve got enough A-cuts.”

“Do you think so?”

“Yeah.”

At Yoon Jooho’s reassuring answer, Song Hyunsoo finally managed a small smile.

“Wanna go for a smoke?”

“I’d like to, but…”

“This was the same studio as last time. I remember smoking on the balcony.”

Standing up from the sofa, Yoon Jooho called out to the Editor.

“Team Leader, can we smoke on the balcony?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. You can smoke out there.”

She added, making an okay sign with her fingers.

“There should be an ashtray on one of the chairs.”

Jooho handed Hyunsoo a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

“Go ahead and have one first.”

“What about you, sunbae?”

“I’ll just talk to the Manager for a minute and come.”

Nodding, Hyunsoo stepped out onto the balcony with the windows thrown wide open.

Just as the Editor had said, there was an old chair with an ashtray set on it.

He put a cigarette to his lips and lit it, then placed the pack and lighter beside the ashtray.

Hoo…

After one deep inhale and exhale, he felt like he could breathe again.

Nicotine stimulates dopamine secretion and regulates adrenaline levels, so for smokers used to nicotine, having a cigarette temporarily makes them feel relaxed.

He’d seen something like that in a video once.

But really, it was more of an illusion—what you felt was just the easing of ‘Nicotine Withdrawal Symptoms,’ not true relaxation…

As these useless thoughts floated in and out of his head, he looked around, and seeing the Eiffel Tower in his line of sight, he couldn’t help but laugh.

Leaning his elbows on the railing, he smoked, watching the sky of Paris transform into shades of pink, crimson, and violet, the proud Eiffel Tower rising in the background.

A cool breeze ran gently through his hair.

He’d only arrived here two nights ago, but it already felt like so much had happened.

“Let me have a drag, too.”

Yoon Jooho came up next to him, leaning his back against the balcony rail.

“Sunbae, you could just light a new one.”

“I don’t want to smoke a whole cigarette. Just let me have a bit.”

Clinging and fussing around the person he liked—this was Jooho’s way of acting spoiled, or maybe being cute.

So, grumbling, Hyunsoo handed him the cigarette.

Jooho bowed his head to take a drag from the filter.

“Sunbae.”

“Mm.”

“There was a time I thought about quitting all this and going back home.”

“……”

“I thought, what’s a guy like me doing trying to be an actor? Figured I was done for.”

Leaning back comfortably against the rail, Jooho tilted his chin up and blew out a long stream of smoke.

He then looked at Hyunsoo with calm eyes, waiting for him to go on.

Hyunsoo turned as well, leaning his back against the rail beside Jooho.

The Photographer, who’d been discussing the rest of today’s shoot, caught sight of the two of them.

She held her hand out to the Assistant in a hurry.

“Kyumin, Hasselblad X2D.”

Taking the camera, she quickly adjusted the settings according to the available light and desired depth of field.

Through the viewfinder, the two of them looked as if they were on the balcony of their own home.

It was a moment of complete comfort and intimacy, only captured when two people were so used to being together that they could relax without any guards up.

The Photographer quietly moved to frame the shot so they wouldn’t notice, then pressed the shutter.

Hyunsoo took a drag and said,

“But I’m glad I didn’t.”

He moved his hand holding the cigarette closer to Jooho’s lips.

“Because I met you, sunbae. We could have just missed each other.”

A subtle smile played across Jooho’s face as he bent his head to the filter.

This was what the Photographer wanted from this shoot—an unguarded, everyday moment, completely unaware that the camera was watching.

She pressed the shutter again.

As Jooho turned his gaze to blow smoke away, he noticed the Photographer.

Hyunsoo hadn’t realized yet and turned to look at Jooho, squinting a little from the light of the setting sun.

“Today I thought, I’m really glad I didn’t give up.”

Without hesitation, Jooho leaned his temple against Hyunsoo’s shoulder.

Even though he knew the Photographer was taking pictures of them, he didn’t hold back.

Rather, he wanted her to capture this moment.

The deepening sunset was reflected in the open balcony window.

Jooho closed his eyes, resting his head on Hyunsoo’s shoulder.

“Yeah, I’m glad.”

The savory smell of cigarettes, Hyunsoo’s breathing, the warmth of the sunset on his right cheek.

Since coming to Paris, it felt like they’d filmed a whole Movie together.

But it wasn’t just Paris.

Every moment with Hyunsoo was like a long take in a Movie—no retakes, no NGs or rehearsals, you couldn’t redo just the parts you didn’t like.

And for Jooho, he liked this Movie more than any project he’d ever been in.

More than any work he’d done so far.

■

juㅎㅎsu did you see the photos from Paris??? (RPS warning) (image-heavy warning)

Found some photos and videos on overseas Fanpage that haven’t shown up here yet

It’s a ONCE pictorial shoot, but is the concept bromance or what? Otherwise, how…

Just how much fan service do they drop every time they go for a pictorial shoot

Their visuals are literally top-tier, I can’t believe it’s this cost-effective to be a fan…

I almost added a NSFW warning too

These are in chronological order from top

⤷Wait, OP, how many times did you use ‘just how’ lol your excitement is coming right through lol

⤷Isn’t this beyond bromance though? lol

⤷⤷Seriously, they’re basically a couple, aren’t they? lololol

⤷What’s with these two, for realㅎㅎ Is Yoon Jooho about to spread honey from his eyes all over Song Hyunsoo?

⤷What are those last photos??? Song Hyunsoo just throws off his shirt, huh??? Well, thank you so much for that???

⤷⤷Wow but his body looks good, exactly my type

⤷⤷Yeah, he’s on the skinny side, but the muscles are really well-shaped, so he doesn’t look frail at all

⤷⤷The size difference with bulked-up Yoon Jooho is just perfect, honestly perfect

⤷I get why they had to leave in a hurry with the crowds, but why is the Prince Yoon Jooho Era hugging Hyunsoo’s shoulder? Hey, you’re still worth way more than him

⤷⤷Exactly lol anyone would think Yoon Jooho is Hyunsoo’s Bodyguard

⤷⤷To him, Hyunsoo is more precious

⤷⤷For real, can’t stand to look (jk I love it)

⤷I don’t really know much about RPS but they really do seem close. It’s surprising and nice that a top star like Yoon Jooho is friendly with a rookie actor

⤷⤷Now I’m curious about the Movie they shot together

⤷⤷I wasn’t interested in Yoon Jooho before, but I want to see the Movie now, they’re so cuteㅎㅎ

⤷Whenever I get hooked on a drama or Movie, I get super immersed, so when the actors are close in real life too it makes it even better. For Dissolve, you can already tell before the premiere that the actors are close, so I’m already hyped

⤷⤷Same, that’s why I like these two. Honestly, the RPS stuff is just for fun—they really are just great to see together

⤷⤷Don’t call it a joke, Prince Yoon Jooho Era gets hurt every time you search juㅎㅎsu